The ARD chairmanship will switch from SWR to HR next year. This means that HR Director-General Florian Hager will also succeed Kai Gniffke as ARD Chairman. This was decided by the directors and committee chairmen of the ARD broadcasters on 26 September in Cologne.
According to Press Release Hessischer Rundfunk will take over this special task on a rotational basis after two years. Kai Gniffke will then be Deputy Chairman from 2025. This step was expected. Florian Hager had put his hand up for the position, even though HR is one of the smaller state broadcasters in ARD.
Hessischer Rundfunk will therefore spread the upcoming chairmanship tasks at ARD across more shoulders: "We have agreed a partnership with Radio Bremen on several levels, and all other broadcasters will also support us in a variety of ways. I am really very pleased about this. After all, our common goal is to carry out central tasks more and more jointly and flexibly," explains Florian Hager.
Florian Hager himself says of the ARD chairmanship: "I am very pleased about the trust placed in me and am taking on this responsibility with a great deal of respect. Because we are taking the helm in January in turbulent times." The current developments in media policy and the ARD reform agenda are of great importance to Hessischer Rundfunk, "which is why we have also anchored the guiding principle 'We can only win as ARD' in our mission statement," explained Hager.
Acting ARD Chairman Kai Gniffke adds: "All ARD organisations are taking the path towards a digital, modern and transparent ARD. Everyone realises that we can only change ARD together. This hashtag# reform has been underway for two years and fundamental processes have been implemented. I am confidently passing the baton on to Hessischer Rundfunk and Florian Hager."
As part of the partnership with HR, Radio Bremen will also chair the ARD Committee Chairmen's Conference (GVK) from 2025, in which representatives of the organisation from all regions of Germany will participate.
